Bill Schroer: The wisest action is often no action at all

We know a non-decision is often a decision, but a lesson they don't teach at the Business Schools (or West Point) is an intentional decision to do nothing is also a decision.

Importantly, there is a difference between those two approaches. In our culture the "take charge" person is seen as heroic, saving the day. Unfortunately, we don't always hear about the train wrecks these heroes cause. But, what happens when you intentionally do nothing? In one case it possibly saved the United State from entering a third war with Great Britain in just over a century.

In the late 1850s the United States was reaching west, solidifying its hold on the shape of the country as we know it. However, we weren't the only ones pushing an expansionist agenda.

Great Britain operating through the auspices of the Hudson Bay Co. was colonizing what had not already been grabbed by the United States or Canada in the West.

The Treaty of Oregon was supposed to have set the boundary for the United States along the 49th parallel. The parallel runs west through the Rocky Mountains to the middle of the channel separating Vancouver Island from the mainland, and then through the Juan de Fuca Strait to the Pacific Ocean.

The problem was there are two channels separating Vancouver Island: the Haro Strait and the Rosario Strait. The San Juan Islands lie between the two channels and both countries claimed the entire group of islands for themselves.

The Hudson Bay Co. established a company "farm" on San Juan Island to establish its claim. No fewer than 18 American settlers had also set up small farms on the island, which the British considered illegal. On June 15, 1859, Lyman Cutlar, an American settler, shot a hog owned by the HBC which was rooting around in his garden. When British authorities tried to arrest Cutlar, the American contingent appealed for help from Gen. William Harney, commander of the U.S. Army Department of Oregon.

Harney sent an infantry company commanded by a Capt. George S. Pickett.

In response British Governor James Douglas dispatched Royal Navy Capt. Jeoffrey Hornby, three warships (with a total of 62 cannon), 400 naval marines and 15 Royal Engineers. Pickett, not liking the odds, appealed for help and Gen. Harney sent Lt. Col. Silas Casey with 400 reinforcements.

We can all see where this is going, and it almost certainly would have led to an armed conflict were it not for Capt. Hornby and his admiral. Capt. Hornby intentionally disregarded Gov. Douglas' order to dislodge the Americans and waited until Admiral R. Lambert Baynes arrived on the scene.

When Baynes was apprised of the situation he is reported to have said "Tut, tut, no, no,...the damn fools." He was not about to ignite an armed conflict over a shot pig and ordered Hornby to "stand down" and not fire unless fired upon. Subsequently, George Pickett was removed (resigning his commission illegally and transporting himself back to Virginia to join the Confederate Army).

Gen. Winfield Scott skillfully negotiated with the British and a joint occupation of the island with each side maintaining a garrison of 100 troops resulted while the decision of who owned the San Juan Islands was arbitrated by Kaiser Wilhelm. In 1871 Wilhelm determined the islands were owned by the United States and the British contingent abandoned "English Camp," which was situated on the opposite side of the island from "American Camp."

Over the intervening 12 years excellent relationships had developed between the English and American garrisons and mutual holiday balls and celebrations were held between the two military outposts.

Admiral Baynes was subsequently knighted for his intentional defusing of the situation, Capt. Hornby went on to a celebrated military career and George Pickett went on to ultimate infamy for leading the most reckless, futile and costly charge of the Civil War, leading to the deaths or mutilations of over 10,000 Confederate soldiers at Gettysburg and signaling an end to the Confederacy's chances of winning the war.

The whole point is that somehow the wisdom of intentionally "standing down" in the face of a threat or an insult seems to be lost in our society. From road rage to gang shootings to the war in Iraq, we just can't seem to calmly and intentionally not respond and in so doing acknowledge the power of time and rationality to help reframe a solution.

Learning this story (as an ex-infantryman) has had a powerful impact on me and I have resolved to tell it often and send it to legislators whenever they are thinking about the use of force.

It is a telling comment that almost no Americans (and probably not too many English) can tell you who Admiral Baynes or Capt. Hornby are, but everyone has heard of Pickett. We need to change that.

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Bill Schroer: The wisest action is often no action at all

We know a non-decision is often a decision, but a lesson they don't teach at the Business Schools (or West Point) is an intentional decision to do nothing is also a decision.